Anchorage Murals #1

From Sept. 2009, after finally disembarking; never mind the vertigo that made solid ground feel just like walking on water. These mural selections are from Downtown Anchorage, AK.

This mural occupies the corner and two walls of a smoked salmon shop. The door is actually the door to the Twilight Zone, but this is a little-known fact.

Two detail shots from Robert Wyland's Whaling Wall Mural.  Visit Wyland's Official Website, or read more Wikipedia's Wyland Page

Anchorage Murals #2

Continuing the Mural theme, I offer two murals from Anchorage, AK, 9/2009

Look closely at the next two photos of this mural depicting 4 guys important to Alaska history (I don't know why I can't find any reference to this mural online! grrr!).  The first photo, below, shows the mural itself, a couple of stories up, on the face of a big office building. The second photo shows the same mural reflected by the glass walls of the building across the street. note the vertical black line, part of the "reflecting" building. Another cue to the reflection is that the faces are in reverse order from the original.

Mural

Reflection of mural

It is unfortunate that I was unable to get a clear shot (or find a referring photo on the 'net) of that shows the detail that makes up the portraits. For example, the men's faces show numerous other faces, which help to add features, depth and dimension. The background of mountains and bay, and their jackets also are made up of smaller tiled images that include puffins, otters, flowers, polar bears, moose, bears, sunsets, etc.

This mural is so large, and so busy that it is nearly impossible for an amateur digi photographer to capture. It seems to encompass every possible historic moment in Alaska, starting in the year 1000 and continuing to the present. Included are a few detail shots, but I urge you to take a closer look next time you are in Anchorage. Sixth Street.

Detail - Left Side

Detail - Right side

Highlighting Alaska's role in WWII

Totem Bight

From the 2009 Alaska trip to Totem Bight State Park, Ketchikan, AK.
a faded, moss-covered totem lay cast aside, surrounded by tall still-standing "new" totems. The beauty of this piece outstripped all else.

Happy Birthday!

Thinking of you all day today! Enjoy a great day!

I hope you enjoy this rendition of the birthday song--it beats my singing voice!

The Botanical Garden at Golden Gate Park: Strybing Arboretum

Each winter, I wait with anticipation for the first flowers of the year, snowy white magnolias and blushing tulipifera blooms. I like to visit the examples at Strybing Arboretum, some of which are shown here.  Landscapers with a sense of beauty get a vote of approval as I spy local examples in my own neighborhood. The Magnolias typically are evergreen with dark leathery leaves, while the Tulipiferas have pinkish-tinged white blossoms on nude branches, with the leaves budding out as the flowers fade into spring.

SF Murals - 24th Street / Noe Valley

The 24th Street / Noe Valley murals

This pair of murals face each other across a parking lot on 24th Street, in Sf. The insets depict the local shops in the immediate neighborhood, with some artistic liberties taken. 

The artist/designer, Mona Caron, has a website here.

This mural is located adjacent to a parking lot at 3871 24th Street, between Vicksburg and Sanchez (Noe Valley neighborhood), San Francisco, USA.

This is the East Side Mural

Detail: Eggplant

Detail: Artichoke

Detail: Historic 24th Street

Detail: Borage Flowers

This is the West Side Mural

Detail: 24th St. Neighborhood


If you look carefully at this photo (Below), you'll notice, on the left side, a man on a ladder next to the sign for Haystack Pizza Restaurant. Now, look at the right side of the photo of the West Side Mural above. There, you see the actual sign for the real Haystack Pizza joint.

Detail: Root Vegetables (Radish, Beet, Parsnip)

Detail: Melon

Another shot of the West Side Mural